Goannabanda

BRAVO BARB!!! A job well done. I'm sure you are loving every minute of your new healthy life!

Way to go Vera! Glad to read your story, and note the healthier life you have now. I my thighs EVER look that good, I'm gonna try out for Ms Universe!!!

Sorry - my friend says it's just a joke. We use it instead of public casualty wards. My husband's been in there when he broke his foot, the place seemed to run okay, certainly better that some of our local public hospitals, and just as good as other private places we've encountered at various times. Anyway - I'm brave and I'm tough (NOT!!!!)

Wheeler - Yeah - I wish I was going to The Avenue too - my nursing friend says that an industry nickname for The Valley Private is Death Valley Private!!! yelp!! As for our meeting: I'll keep those last 3 Sep Saturdays free, until the group has spoken...

Thanks Jacqui - I really can't wait to meet you - you make so much sense, and are very reassuring to me. We must be very similar in some ways... Hug for you!

I went back to see Dr Lim today, for the results of my echo. He said that my heart murmur is caused by noisy blood ("turbulent flow"), and is nothing to do with faulty valves or heart disease. That's a relief. It's also nice to know that my blood fats, cholesterol, blood sugars etc are within mormal ranges. Guess that suggests that our family diet is fair (apart form my portions being too BIG!) LOL!!! I just worry too much... Sooooooo: I am good to go. In 48 days. Karen from ESV said I could have surgery on Aug 29th (Tues), Oct 5th (Thurs) or Oct 9th (Mon). Pity there was nothing available in mid-Sept as I had hoped, because August date is too close (only 2 weeks away!!) and would be bery stressful and inconvenient, with Mike and both sets of parents all away during that week. Plus it would be a juggle for work days, and I'd only be 2 weeks post-op when we go to the snow. Pre-op diet would also be challenging, with the large number of parties we have in the calendar this month! At first, the Oct dates seemed a bit too far out, however, on balance, Oct 5th is the best, as it fits in the best with everyone's work, holiday and social schedules. It's far enough before Christmas season so I can relax that I'll not be in recovery mode during the festive rush. Plus, we can keep our calendar free where we need to, so as not to put undue pressure on pre- and post-op diet etc. It also gives us all five weeks to prepare - spiritually, mentally, physically, and financially... I plan to start pre-op preparation as soon as the Optifast arrives. Here's the strategy for the 5 weeks I have pre-op: 3 weeks - 2 meals Optifast, normal dinner 2 weeks - full pre-op Optifast In the next five weeks, I also need to: pray and to prepare my road to recovery and success with the Lord's help, organise for annual leave during post-op week, reduce credit card down to zero, so the hospital bills can go straight onto it, clean out and restock the pantry and freezer, plan post-op diet for recovery weeks - for myself and family, rearrange and recommit to my exercise and fitness schedules, renew gym membership (due to expire on 25th Sept) update my workout plan with the gym (update the current long plan to suit our home equipment, and add various short routines to target different areas - abs, arms, butt, legs etc), finalise as many large work projects as possible, finish the spring-time gardening jobs, buy post-op presents for Mike & James, let Paul know dietary needs for the wedding, plan one or two post-op outings - both child free recovery days and special family days. *********************STOP PRESS************************* Wow - a Truly amazing day - my Dad called (they are in Carnarvon today) to say that the has got a redundancy package from his work, and therefore will be retired within a week of them coming home from their trip - by Friday October 6th (day after my banding!)!!! Hip Hip Hooray!!! It's exactly how we've all hoped and prayed his retirement would be for him for years. After all his years working there, he deserves to go out with the bonus of a redundancy package. With Dad retiring, and me getting banded - that WILL be a notable week in our family's life! Mike & I will organise a surprise retirement party for him - late October looks good for that at this stage. That will give us something very happy to look forward to - and something to distract us from the banding and the adjustments it will bring. Ooooh goody, a party!! Even better - a free DAD!!!

I went back to see Dr Lim today, for the results of my echo. He said that my heart murmur is caused by noisy blood ("turbulent flow"), and is nothing to do with faulty valves or heart disease. That's a relief. It's also nice to know that my blood fats, cholesterol, blood sugars etc are within mormal ranges. Guess that suggests that our family diet is fair (apart form my portions being too BIG!) LOL!!! I just worry too much... Sooooooo: I am good to go. In 48 days. Karen from ESV said I could have surgery on Aug 29th (Tues), Oct 5th (Thurs) or Oct 9th (Mon). Pity there was nothing available in mid-Sept as I had hoped, because August date is too close (only 2 weeks away!!) and would be bery stressful and inconvenient, with Mike and both sets of parents all away during that week. Plus it would be a juggle for work days, and I'd only be 2 weeks post-op when we go to the snow. Pre-op diet would also be challenging, with the large number of parties we have in the calendar this month! At first, the Oct dates seemed a bit too far out, however, on balance, Oct 5th is the best, as it fits in the best with everyone's work, holiday and social schedules. It's far enough before Christmas season so I can relax that I'll not be in recovery mode during the festive rush. Plus, we can keep our calendar free where we need to, so as not to put undue pressure on pre- and post-op diet etc. It also gives us all five weeks to prepare - spiritually, mentally, physically, and financially... I plan to start pre-op preparation as soon as the Optifast arrives. Here's the strategy for the 5 weeks I have pre-op: 3 weeks - 2 meals Optifast, normal dinner 2 weeks - full pre-op Optifast In the next five weeks, I also need to: pray and to prepare my road to recovery and success with the Lord's help, organise for annual leave during post-op week, reduce credit card down to zero, so the hospital bills can go straight onto it, clean out and restock the pantry and freezer, plan post-op diet for recovery weeks - for myself and family, rearrange and recommit to my exercise and fitness schedules, renew gym membership (due to expire on 25th Sept) update my workout plan with the gym (update the current long plan to suit our home equipment, and add various short routines to target different areas - abs, arms, butt, legs etc), finalise as many large work projects as possible, finish the spring-time gardening jobs, buy post-op presents for Mike & James, let Paul know dietary needs for the wedding, plan one or two post-op outings - both child free recovery days and special family days. *********************STOP PRESS************************* Wow - a Truly amazing day - my Dad called (they are in Carnarvon today) to say that the has got a redundancy package from his work, and therefore will be retired within a week of them coming home from their trip - by Friday October 6th (day after my banding!)!!! Hip Hip Hooray!!! It's exactly how we've all hoped and prayed his retirement would be for him for years. After all his years working there, he deserves to go out with the bonus of a redundancy package. With Dad retiring, and me getting banded - that WILL be a notable week in our family's life! Mike & I will organise a surprise retirement party for him - late October looks good for that at this stage. That will give us something very happy to look forward to - and something to distract us from the banding and the adjustments it will bring. Ooooh goody, a party!! Even better - a free DAD!!!

Hi all, I got my surgery date!!! Not til 5th October, which gives us plenty of time in Sept, if another date is needed for our catch up. Apart from the 9th / 10th, all other Spet weekend days are free for me at this stage. Cheers, Anna PS The physician says my heart murmur is caused by noisy blood ("turbulent flow")!!! That's a relief. It's also nice to know that my blood fats, cholesterol, blood sugars etc are within mormal ranges. Guess that suggests that our family diet is fair (apart form my portions being too BIG!) LOL!!! I just worry too much...

Once again, the house is in bed, and I'm still here trawling LBT!!!! I should go to bed, but my mind is occupied with thoughts of banding, and life after banding. I'm also a bit anxious about tomorrow's physician appt, and hoping to get a surgery date by tomorrow afternoon if all goes well. I ordered 4 boxes of Optifast for pre-surgery preparation from eBay today - I can get it posted cheaper than buying it at the shops! I'm going to start it as early as possible, to try and lose some more weight before banding. As I try to prepare mentally for my new life, I find myself pondering over the fact that I really don't know how I will feel about losing weight and being thinner, as I've never really had much success at it. This makes me nervous, and almost feel too afraid to try (fear of failure perhaps?)... ... at least the band will keep me on track, and as my weight drops, I will be forced to deal with weight and food issues, as well as the self-image perceptions that I can still barely define. Already, since deciding to be banded, I have come a long way, from hopelessness and depression, to a new sense of energy and hope for the future. I find I can, for the first time in my life, talk and write about being obese, and not cry about it at the same time! This is incredibly empowering for me, as I take it as a sign that my concious AND subconcious mind have both finally accepted my condition for what it is, after spending half my life being in denial. No more "out-of-sight, out-of-mind" mentality for this black duck! I know the band will help deal with the meal time hunger and volume, and that it won't help as much to control snacking and emotional food habits. I know that I will have to define a whole new set of values about how I see myself and my place in the world, how I relate to food, how I socialise, how I deal with boredom, frustration etc. I am not a huge emotional eater (I don't binge to the degree of others, but I do on occasion have a "brain snap"), but there are aspects of those habits that need to be sorted out. I am more of a compulsive eater driven by the physical sensations of food, eating, chewing and swallowing. I am also a big social eater - showing hospitality and love towards my family and friends by breaking bread with them. The social eating will be hard to change, as it's such an ingrained thing. I know that dealing with some of these things will be driven by the lifestyle changes the band will bring, some will be driven by the weight loss itself, but that most of them will have to come from within. This is scary, as I don't yet know where to start. I don't think that this will really begin until I am some fair way post-band. Maybe these things don't really kick in until months or years post-band, until it too has acceptance and has become just another part of the fabric of my life. Maybe I am already along the way, just don't feel I've got very far yet... HOWEVER (and now for the biggest plus at this stage): For the first time in my life, I feel ready to face up to these old habits and demons. Finally I have accepted my condition for what it is, and also feel that I have the mental space in life at the moment, and physical stamina necessary to seek my victory... ...and the VERY best part - I feel that this is all part of God's plan for me - whatever the outcome. I feel that now God is guiding me to change my heath for the better - something I have never experienced before in any of my weight loss attempts. I wouldn't say that "God told me to get a band" or anything silly like that, after all, the band is merely a tool. But I feel enveloped by His love, and truly guided towards success. Yet another sign of my acceptance - handing over my life and trusting in God is something that I've always struggeld with. Praise God!

Once again, the house is in bed, and I'm still here trawling LBT!!!! I should go to bed, but my mind is occupied with thoughts of banding, and life after banding. I'm also a bit anxious about tomorrow's physician appt, and hoping to get a surgery date by tomorrow afternoon if all goes well. I ordered 4 boxes of Optifast for pre-surgery preparation from eBay today - I can get it posted cheaper than buying it at the shops! I'm going to start it as early as possible, to try and lose some more weight before banding. As I try to prepare mentally for my new life, I find myself pondering over the fact that I really don't know how I will feel about losing weight and being thinner, as I've never really had much success at it. This makes me nervous, and almost feel too afraid to try (fear of failure perhaps?)... ... at least the band will keep me on track, and as my weight drops, I will be forced to deal with weight and food issues, as well as the self-image perceptions that I can still barely define. Already, since deciding to be banded, I have come a long way, from hopelessness and depression, to a new sense of energy and hope for the future. I find I can, for the first time in my life, talk and write about being obese, and not cry about it at the same time! This is incredibly empowering for me, as I take it as a sign that my concious AND subconcious mind have both finally accepted my condition for what it is, after spending half my life being in denial. No more "out-of-sight, out-of-mind" mentality for this black duck! I know the band will help deal with the meal time hunger and volume, and that it won't help as much to control snacking and emotional food habits. I know that I will have to define a whole new set of values about how I see myself and my place in the world, how I relate to food, how I socialise, how I deal with boredom, frustration etc. I am not a huge emotional eater (I don't binge to the degree of others, but I do on occasion have a "brain snap"), but there are aspects of those habits that need to be sorted out. I am more of a compulsive eater driven by the physical sensations of food, eating, chewing and swallowing. I am also a big social eater - showing hospitality and love towards my family and friends by breaking bread with them. The social eating will be hard to change, as it's such an ingrained thing. I know that dealing with some of these things will be driven by the lifestyle changes the band will bring, some will be driven by the weight loss itself, but that most of them will have to come from within. This is scary, as I don't yet know where to start. I don't think that this will really begin until I am some fair way post-band. Maybe these things don't really kick in until months or years post-band, until it too has acceptance and has become just another part of the fabric of my life. Maybe I am already along the way, just don't feel I've got very far yet... HOWEVER (and now for the biggest plus at this stage): For the first time in my life, I feel ready to face up to these old habits and demons. Finally I have accepted my condition for what it is, and also feel that I have the mental space in life at the moment, and physical stamina necessary to seek my victory... ...and the VERY best part - I feel that this is all part of God's plan for me - whatever the outcome. I feel that now God is guiding me to change my heath for the better - something I have never experienced before in any of my weight loss attempts. I wouldn't say that "God told me to get a band" or anything silly like that, after all, the band is merely a tool. But I feel enveloped by His love, and truly guided towards success. Yet another sign of my acceptance - handing over my life and trusting in God is something that I've always struggeld with. Praise God!

From 15 to 17, I worked Saturdays, Sundays, Public and School Holidays at a place called Rainbow Park. It was an indoor kid's amusement park - with rides like dogems, canoes, ferris wheel, jumping castle, chair swing, minigolf etc. It was a pre-cursor to the indoor play centres we have everywhere nowdays. Pay was $25 for 5 hour shift (not bad for those days). The place was staffed by an army of us kids, plus one young manager and occasionally the owner too. You had to be at work at the end of the day to get your name into "the book" before everyone else did, so you could work the next shift, or else you missed out getting any more work... They used to do birthday parties - up to twelve on any day. :happybday:Plus it was open to the public. That's a couple of hundred kids all running around high on junk food:hungry:. At least four or five kids would puke or pee somewhere every shift, which we had to clean up (gross!). Some kid would be sick or pee on the jumping castle nearly every shift. You learned pretty quick not to step onto the castle to clean the sucker... LOL! We all loved going on the rides after hours etc, and lowering our minigolf handicaps in the quiet times. I learnt to drive a dodgem car standing up pretty good too! We also used to get free ride tickets for Moomba (a Melb. festival) and the Royal Melbourne Show, which made us popular with our school friends... I loved working on the canoe ride the best:fish2:, although it did give you a sore back by the end of the day from leaning over and lifting kids in and out of the boats. The Water was full of bloo loo - it stank and left blue grime all over everything. Despite these drawbacks, it was good because it was up in the back corner of the warehouse, and you could do your own thing. It tended to be quieter than the other rides, giving me more time to practice on the mini golf!

I work part-time as an environmental scientist, specialising in contaminated site assessments and audits. (The equivalent of Brownfield / Superfund sites for US readers...). I am currently working as an environmental audit project manger / auditor's representative for Australia's largest specialist consulting group. I have a Bachelor's degree in Earth Science (double Geology major) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Soil Science, as well as various workplace training and professional environmental auditing qualifications. I really like my job - it's satisfying to help people to clean up soil and groundwater contamination, and to have a part in making a contaminated site fit for a new use, whatever that may be! At some stage, our family plan to spend a year or two working overseas - I'd love the chance to try out my skills in another country! Outside of work, I am married to the man of my dreams, and am the mother of one 5yo boy and two cats. I play flute, sing, garden, scrapbook, walk, swim, gym and love to socialise!

A special cute birthday song for you (sorry, can't find any smilies that look like the requried animals...) :) :Banane52: :Banane09: :bananajump: :Banane51: :bananajump: :not_ripe: :Banane07: :Banane17: :Banane06: :Banane04: :Banane03: :Banane01: :Banane22: :Banane21: :Banane32: :Banane42: Hippo, birdie, two ewes, Hippo, birdie, two ewes, Hippo, birdie, two ewes, Hippo, birdie, two ewes!!! HIP-PO!! BIRD-IE!! HIP-PO!! BIRD-IE!! HIP-PO!! BIRD-IE!! :happybday2::happybday::woot:

I'd only just started to get to know Ryan through his posts, and already loved his eloquence and deep insights. I thought when he wrote that last post, wow - that guy really knows where he's been, and why. And I hoped that someday I might come to similar self-realisations about my own struggle with obestity as Ryan obviously had about his. Now as I reread his post, his words ring out: He fought a valiant fight to keep and better his life. God bless Ryan, Patty and his extended family and friends. He now flies with the Lord in Paradise.

I am crushed - the 9th is out for me (**DOH!!), as I'll be in Mt Beauty / Falls Creek for a family weekend of snow play and wineries. Although I'm disappointed, and looking forward to meeting you all, please don't change the date. I'll meet up with some of you at The Valley Private support group (and around LBT of course!), and if this meeting is a success, can we have another in a couple of months??? I am hoping to get my surgery date tomorrow after I have seen the physician. Hoping for mid-Sept. Keep your fingers crossed for me! tarajane - that sounds great about the coffee - phew!

Way to go A1ikou!!! Congratulations on your NSV's - keep up the good work!

Congratulations tarajane! I'll be going to the next support group at the Valley - so if we haven't met before then, I'll see you there! Jachut - thanks for the venue suggestions, I'm sure Wheeler will make use of them! I've not been to Costellos (it sounds nice), nor eaten at the VGreen for ages (yep - it was shite then too! LOL). Wherever we go, I hope the coffee is good - sounds like I'll be giving it up for a while pre-and post-band... ...so might as well enjoy a quality cuppa while I can!! he he he Cheers!

Oh, yes, we have those little critters here - except thy're called Redback Spiders, and are the stuff of legend. They are immortalised in folk tales and songs (there's a famous song about a Redback under the toilet seat, and some poor old codger getting bitten on his poor old codgers!) Redbacks are actually a close relative of the Black Widow Spiders you have in the US. They are freaky, but there's so many of them in our yard, woodpile and shed, and on occasion in the house (but not much), that you just gotta grit your teeth and stamp the little devils and their egg sacks to death! We don't bother with spray that much - it doesn't seem to do much to kill spiders - we just squash 'em! I got bitten by one on my big toe - the night before we were due to get married! Luckily, the spider didn't get any / much poison into me - I was fine, and the wedding went ahead as planned... ...had hubby-to-be worried though! There are so many spiders in these parts, that we end up living with them - the Orb Weavers are cool - making perfect webs in one night just for them to be melted away in the morning. I've never had one of those guys in the house. We often (in summer) let a Daddy Long Legs or two live in in each room - they hang out mostly in the top corner of the rooms, and eat the mozzies, midges and thrip! Although they are one of the most venomous spiders in the world, thankfully these guys are essentially harmless to humans, as they can't pierce the skin with their bite! I am more freaked out by: Huntsman spiders (they can be HUGE), they don't have webs, and a really FAST. Even though they are essentially harmless, they freak me out because they are so big, black, hairy and FAST!!! :faint: They are timid, and will run away if disturbed, although can bit if provoked. they aren't considered to be highly poisonous. My mum got bitten once, and she was fine, but when my uncle was sick when he got bitten. We see them mostly in the warmer months. White Tail Spiders, which are about 1 inch long, white spots on black spider, long body. They are really fast, ferocious and sneaky. They will attack and bite, and their bites are BAD - causing infection and necrosis due to bacteria they carry in their fangs. They seem to like getting into clothing and bedding. We NEVER leave clothes on the floor, as they seem to like that the best, and we check our bedding daily, and under / around the beds every week. They seem to hang out in pairs too - so even if you manage to catch the first one - you stay freaked out until a few days later when its friend appears...:faint: :faint: :faint: :faint: :faint: and Cockroaches, of course! Thy're not terribly big here, but abundant. When we first moved into this house, I wondered why the previous owners left behind so many half empty cans of surface spray... ...until I went outside one night and saw all the roaches on the back fence - eeeek!:faint: ...oooh, I'm getting the heebie jeebies just typing this...

Liberty, way to go, and happy bandiversarry! But why did you get it done at 11pm???

Good luck Jen, in your recovery from this recurring toxicosis... Sorry for the immediate pain that you are feeling as you make a new path for yourself, but as you know, you will feel better about the situation in the long run, and I am sure that you'll find a new best friend who will be worthy of your love, loyalty, and hand in marriage... ...you've always got your LBT family for support at any stage!

Hi Bignoiz, I am from Melbourne, planning to be banded down here during September or October. Look forward to sharing the journey with you. Congratulations, and good luck!

:help: ...what exactly would be the correct technique for PBing the mailman? Should I try this? :huggie: this?? :Banane34: or even one of these????? :Banane49: :Banane56: :Banane56: :Banane46: ...and just what am I supposed to do with his motorbike???:Banane49: plz hlp i'm disparate.i m 1hr postop an my doc nvr sd nothn aboot pbing no mailman? PS Did I kill it? Gotta beat JustPaul...

As a relative newbie around here, I can definitely see myself in some of these thread-killing guises - ouch! :opps2: The repetitive, inane questions get my goat too - espeically when the answers are probably elsewhere in the forum or their own medical advice. I WISH that these people would use the search function and do some research before posting to the boards, and respect what their doctors tell them about thier own health and surgery!!! It also bothers me when someone misunderstands something as an attack, when really no offence was meant by the writer - and then a war of words and hurt has begun - that makes me really sad, and it's a real thread killer for me. Of course, given that we are all individual, and naturally have different perspectives and levels of literacy / computer skills, it pays for us to all be fairly tolerant and forgiving of little thread-killing indiscretions... ...OMG, I sound like a thread-killing-holier-than-thou-goody-two-shoes!!! LOL!!! ...but I think you get my meaning... By the way... ...what is a PB? ...I always thought it was the initials for Paddington Bear...

Hi girls, Wheeler - I'll PM you some contact details etc. Thanks for helping organise the catch up - it sounds silly, but I'm not sure where to start... At this stage, Sept is looking good for me except for the 9th & 10th. I am hoping to have surgery in the first week of Sept, but??? I'd probably have my 5yo in tow, as hubby plays weekend sport, and grandparents are all interstate at the moment. Therefore, I'd prefer a pub/bistro (with a playroom!) if that's ok. Something like the Village Green or Chelsea Heights hotel??? If a shopping centre is the go, could we choose somewhere with a kid's play area? eg. the Villa&Hut coffee bar, near Myers on Level 3 at Southland (next to the play area) or somewhere similar? Sorry to be a drag. I'm happy to book a table somewhere central - or leave that up to Wheeler - whatever, just let me know what is needed / wanted. If neither of the above are appealing to the group, I'll call in a babysitting favour from a friend or something - whatever happens, count me in!!!

Oh, Wheeler - how awful for you! :Banane27: ...and now to have to wait til 4th Oct for some relief from your pain! I hope that for you - the third one's a charm - and you have no more troubles. Have you spoken to any other surgeons for advice or your revision? I know that Prof O'Brien is the pioneer for obesity and band research in these parts, but in terms of the operation itself, maybe there's better surgeons around... Your experience proves that "the noisy wheel gets the grease" (or whatever that saying is) and is a lesson to all of us to keep complaining (loudly!) if things don't feel right. So sorry for what you are going through. Hope you are able to find relief somehow. A get-together sounds great.:clap2: It might cheer Wheeler up?? I'd love to meet the local bandits (Although I have enjoyed the anonymity of LBT forums, having some face-to-face contact at this stage of my journey would be good too). Happy to travel wherever. Where is everyone? How exactly do we go about organising this (not sure of the LBT etiquette for these things...). By the way, do any of you go to the support group at The Valley Private?? Cheers to all, and special hugs for Wheeler...